


Guide Me

by lullabelle_moon



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Injury Recovery, M/M, loss of sight, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-24
Updated: 2015-09-24
Packaged: 2018-04-23 04:51:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4863821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lullabelle_moon/pseuds/lullabelle_moon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on a prompt; after an accident Robert loses his sight, and he's scared he's going to lose Aaron as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Guide Me

He didn't sleep the night they told him. He couldn't tell if his eyes were open or not and the bandage around his head didn't help. It was too much for him. He just lay in the darkness and listened to the sound of the hospital at night and the noise of Aaron moving about as he slept in the chair beside him. All he could do was lay in the bed and think.

Robert gripped Aaron's hand tightly as the doctor came in.   
"Good morning Mr Sugden."  
"Robert...just Robert."  
Robert swallowed and shifted on the bed slightly,  
"How are you feeling today?"  
Robert cleared his throat,  
"Groggy. Disoriented."  
He knew the doctor had sat on the edge of the bed and he shifted again slightly,  
"That's to be expected. Good news is the damage isn't as bad as we thought last night."  
Aaron frowned,  
"So what does that mean?"  
The doctor flipped the pages of the chart,  
"The glass fragments caused quite a bit of damage but we were able to remove them and you're lucky."  
Robert scoffed,  
"Lucky? I can't see. I can't see...anything."  
The doctor looked at Aaron and then back at Robert,  
"I know it's tough right now but you need to stay positive. The loss of your sight...there's still a chance it might not be permanent."  
Robert turned his head toward the sound of the doctors voice,  
"Might? You mean it-it could be permanent? I could be...I could be blind?"  
The doctor touched his hand,  
"Its a possibility...yes. But we're hopeful. There's a very good chance that the damage caused by the glass will heal soon and your vision will be restored."  
"But there's a chance that it won't come back. That's what you're saying. You're saying that I could be actually...actually blind."  
The doctor was silent for a moment,  
"Isn't it?"  
"Yes. Yes that's what's I'm saying."  
Robert didn't hear much else; the sound of blood rushing in his ears was too loud. It wasn't until Aaron squeezed his hand that he came back to the room,  
"I can't do this. I can't."  
Aaron climbed onto the bed and moved Roberts head so it was on his shoulder,  
"Shh shh shh. It's okay. It's okay."  
He kissed Roberts head and held him as he shook.

"Rob's had an accident."  
That's how Aaron described it on the phone. Robert was barely conscious but heard it. He heard the words and he knew why Aaron was lying. He knew it was easier than to phone the family and tell them the truth. That he had gotten fed up with the comments being made by the man at the bar when he stood with Aaron. He'd confronted the man and when he had said something about Aaron he'd seen red. Punching the man square in the face. It would have been alright if the man had simply hit him back but instead he'd reached behind him and grabbed a glass. Robert wasn't quick enough. Didn't duck soon enough; and as a result he had a glass smashed into his face. He didn't remember much other than the pain and his desperation when he couldn't clear the blood from his vision. He could hear screaming and Aaron telling him he was gonna be alright. He passed out soon after and when he woke up the next morning it was just darkness. 

"He's gonna leave."  
The thoughts had been plaguing him all day. Even though Aaron was there talking to him he had a weight on his chest knowing that it wouldn't be long until he got fed up and left.   
"Rob?"  
Robert turned his head,  
"Sorry, what?"  
Aaron touched his hand again,  
"I asked if you wanted a drink."  
Robert shook his head,  
"No. No I'm good."  
Aaron squeezed his hand,  
"I'll be right back."  
He stood up and Robert reached out for him,  
"Don't."  
Aaron stopped,  
"Hm?"  
Robert stretched his hand out to try and find him,  
"Don't go. Don't leave me."  
Aaron walked over and took his hand again,  
"Hey. I'm just going outside."  
Robert gripped his hand tightly; the fear inside him suddenly overwhelming,  
"No please. Please don't leave me here. Please don't end this and leave me I need you please."  
Aaron sat on the bed and pulled him into a hug,  
"Hey...hey...where's this come from?"  
Robert gripped him tightly,  
"I can't do this on my own Aaron."  
Aaron pulled away and cupped his face; brushing the tears that escaped under the bandage onto Roberts cheeks away,  
"Hey...you listen to me okay? I'm not going anywhere. I don't care if this...I don't care if you don't see for two weeks or you never see again. I'm in love with you Rob. And this isn't gonna change that."  
Robert shook his head,  
"What if I never see again?"  
He lifted his hand; feeling his way to rest it against Aaron's cheek,  
"What if I never see you again? And you need to help me do things? You need to be there all the time? I can't put that on you. You'll hate me. You'll hate me because you're back aren't you? You're back having to be the strong one for a boyfriend. Again. I can't do that to you."  
Aaron took a breath,  
"Your situation is nothing like Jackson's."  
Robert leant forward,  
"No no no I know I'm not saying it is I'm just saying...you have another boyfriend who needs you and I can't-you're gonna go and I'll be on my own."  
Aaron blinked tears down his cheeks  
and swallowed,  
"I...am not...I'm not going anywhere. Ever. You hear me?"  
He leant in and kissed Roberts lips gently,  
"I promise you."  
Robert nodded and allowed Aaron to pull him into a tight hug,  
"I'm not going anywhere."

Robert didn't sleep the night he went home; he lay in bed, arms wrapped around Aaron who fell asleep long before him. He placed his hand over Aaron's heart and counted the beats until he eventually passed out just before dawn. He kept it together when he woke up in darkness. He kept it together when he accidentally dropped the mug because he misjudged where the handle was. He even kept it together when Aaron left the room and he was alone for the first time in hours. He couldn't keep it together when Aaron helped him into the bath; when Aaron poured the warm water down his back he burst into tears.   
"Hey...hey it's okay. Its okay."  
Holding his head in his hands he sobbed; Aaron's arms around him as he kissed his back gently,  
"I'm so sorry Rob. I'm so sorry this happened to you."  
Robert gripped his arm and turned his head away; his whole body burning with shame.  
"I can't do this Aaron."  
Robert gasped the words out and Aaron kissed his head,  
"Yes you can. Yes you can you're stronger than this. You're Robert Sugden. You can get through anything. This is nothing."  
Robert shook his head and slammed his fist against the wall,  
"Look at me! I can't even shower on my own."  
"It's just temporary-"  
"What if it's not?"  
Aaron sighed and took Roberts hand in his,  
"Then we adjust."  
Robert shook his head,  
"What if I can't do anything on my own?"  
Aaron stroked his hair,  
"Then we get you a dog. Or a helper monkey."  
Despite himself, Robert laughed. Aaron kissed his head again;  
"Come on. Let's get you washed and we can go to bed yeah?"  
Robert nodded and dropped his head; swallowing his embarrassment as Aaron washed him gently.

Aaron was snoring. Robert lay awake listening to it, on the one hand it was a nice reassurance that he was still there; still with him. On the other hand Robert was tired and if he could find a sock to stuff in the mans mouth he would. He huffed and sat up; looking over and seeing the clock read 3:47. He groaned and lay back down before bolting upright and looking at the clock again,  
"Oh my g-Aaron. Aaron wake up."  
He shoved the man hard,  
"W-what? What?"  
Aaron sat up,  
"What?"  
Robert was busy looking at his hands,  
"I can see them. I can- turn the light on."  
Aaron rolled over and turned the light on; Robert squinted and laughed,  
"Oh my god...I can see."  
Aaron was staring at him in shock and Robert turned to face him; he cupped his face, dragging his fingers over his face to feel every part he was seeing,  
"I can see you...god you're so...so beautiful."  
He laughed and Aaron gripped him,  
"Your sight is coming back?"  
Robert nodded,  
"It's blurry. Bit...the edges are a bit fuzzy and oh my god I've been picturing you all wrong, I could never have pictured someone so perfect."  
Aaron blushed and Robert laughed,  
"It's coming back Aaron."  
Aaron broke into a grin and pulled him in to kiss him.  
"I can see you."

He didn't sleep the night his sight came back. Neither of them did. They lay on their sides; facing one another and tracing lines with fingers over faces; taking every single detail in. Replacing finger tips with lips as they moved closer; when the sun came up Robert almost wept with how beautiful Aaron looked. He brushed their noses together as he promised him he'd never stop looking at him; a promise he kept as his vision continued to improve and he could try to get his life back on track.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry about the ending, I didn't know how to end it and I'm tired and so this is what you get. Please don't hate me xx


End file.
